Astronomy Picture of the Day [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2025 June 2 [2]The featured image shows a night sky with a large complex nebula in red and blue. The Veil Nebula has several famous components such as the Bat and Witch's Broom Nebulas. Please see the explanation for more detailed information. Veil Nebula: Wisps of an Ancient Supernova Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Abdullah Alharbi Explanation: Wisps like this are all that remain visible of a Milky Way star. About 7,000 years ago that star exploded in a [4]supernova, leaving the [5]Veil Nebula. At the time, the expanding cloud was likely as bright as a crescent [6]Moon, remaining visible for weeks to people living at the [7]dawn of recorded history. Today, the resulting [8]supernova remnant, also known as the [9]Cygnus Loop, has faded and is [10]now visible only through a small [11]telescope directed toward the [12]constellation of the Swan ([13]Cygnus). The remaining Veil Nebula is physically huge, however, and even though it lies about 1,400 [14]light-years distant, it covers over five times the size of the [15]full Moon. The [16]featured picture was taken in [17]Kuwait in mid-2024 and features light emitted by [18]hydrogen in red and [19]oxygen in blue. In deep images of the [20]complete Veil Nebula like this, even [21]studious readers might not be able to identify the [22]iconic filaments. Piece it All Together: [23]Astronomy Puzzle of the Day Tomorrow's picture: rainbow sky __________________________________________________________________ [24]< | [25]Archive | [26]Submissions | [27]Index | [28]Search | [29]Calendar | [30]RSS | [31]Education | [32]About APOD | [33]Discuss | [34]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [35]Robert Nemiroff ([36]MTU) & [37]Jerry Bonnell ([38]UMCP) NASA Official: Amber Straughn [39]Specific rights apply. [40]NASA Web Privacy, [41]Accessibility, [42]Notices; A service of: [43]ASD at [44]NASA / [45]GSFC, [46]NASA Science Activation & [47]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2506/VeilWide_Alharbi_5169.jpg 3. https://www.flickr.com/photos/194569375@N06/ 4. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/supernova/ 5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veil_Nebula 6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210405.html 7. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/334517.stm 8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/supernova_remnants.html 9. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap200928.html 10. https://youtu.be/_O7l9m2pFXM 11. https://youtu.be/3qOmu-5Uanc 12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constellation 13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cygnus_(constellation) 14. https://science.nasa.gov/exoplanets/what-is-a-light-year/ 15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240915.html 16. https://www.flickr.com/photos/194569375@N06/53908601291/ 17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuwait 18. https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/hydrogen/use-of-hydrogen.php 19. https://science.nasa.gov/universe/exoplanets/oxygen-on-exoplanets-isnt-proof-of-life/ 20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap191031.html 21. https://previews.123rf.com/images/duben/duben1907/duben190700009/128483090-dog-reading-book-with-eyeglasses-professor-behind-the-book.jpg 22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2506/VeilWide_Alharbi_960_annotated.jpg 23. https://www.scigames.org/apps/webjigsaw2/index.php 24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250601.html 25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 28. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 30. https://apod.com/feed.rss 31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 33. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=250602 34. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250603.html 35. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 36. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 37. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 38. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 39. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 40. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 41. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/ 42. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/ 43. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 44. https://www.nasa.gov/ 45. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 46. https://science.nasa.gov/learners 47. http://www.mtu.edu/